Wisconsin Gov. Walker and Challenger Spar Over Marriage

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke sparred over same-sex marriage on Monday, with Burke saying the Republican incumbent was waffling on whether he believes gay couples should be able to get married in Wisconsin.

In a separate move, the four Democratic members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to recognize the marriages of more than 500 gay couples who recently wed in the state.

Both Burke and Walker were asked about their positions on gay marriage during separate events in Madison. Walker said Burke, who is running her first statewide campaign, needs a lesson in "Government 101" because she doesn’t understand the governor "can’t arbitrarily change the constitution."

But Burke, at a different event just a couple of miles away, said Walker had been vague regarding what she called a "critical issue."

"I think the people of Wisconsin would like to hear what the governor thinks," Burke said. "I know as governor I’m going to be clear where I stand on issues. It seems pretty political to me that he seems now to be waffling on whether he supports gay marriage or doesn’t. And that is not being clear with voters about that."

Walker responded by repeating what he said on Thursday: He voted for the ban in 2006, but now his stance doesn’t matter because the governor plays no role in changing the constitution. Only the Legislature, the state’s voters or a judge can make changes, he said.

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More county clerks in Wisconsin began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples Tuesday, setting aside frustration with the lack of clear direction from the federal judge who declared the state’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional.

A federal judge on Friday put same-sex marriages in Wisconsin on hold, a week after she struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional, a move that allowed more than 500 couples to wed over the last eight days.